


On Making Wishes

by Poetgirl925



Category: Smallville
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship/Love, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-06-08 21:56:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6875176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poetgirl925/pseuds/Poetgirl925
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chloe makes a wish on her birthday that leads to seduction and a whole new outlook for Oliver as he witnesses a side of Chloe he never knew existed. Spoilers for the beginning of 'Hex' but then I go my own way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to start moving some fics over from other sites - Bones, Chlollie, etc. If you're reading other stories of mine, I'll be back on updates soon now that the semester is nearly done.

Chloe was seriously considering a moratorium on future birthdays.  She was surrounded by people, half of whom she was certain she had never even met before, and yet she still felt utterly alone.  Alone and like a total failure at…well, life in general at this point.

Then Lois had to leave, her so-called best friend was a no-show, and out of all her friends and acquaintances, the one she’d had a mostly strained relationship with lately was the only one who bothered to put in a cameo.  Not that Oliver planned on staying long, but she appreciated any effort at this point.

Chloe held her lone birthday cupcake and fought to keep a smile on her face as Oliver apologized for having to run out on her.  He did, at least, seem genuinely sorry to be leaving her.  She sighed and allowed her smile to fade when he turned to go.  But as he walked away, a raven haired woman stepped in front of him.  Wearing a sexy yet classy version of a tux with fishnets, thigh-high black leather boots, and a top hat perched atop her lustrous black curls, she commanded the sort of attention that generally had men scraping their tongues off the floor.  Chloe raised her brows at the woman’s attire before remembering that Lois had mentioned hiring a magician for the party. 

“Now there’s a man who looks like he could use a little magic in his buttoned-up life,” the woman murmured, smiling up at Oliver with interest.

Chloe rolled her eyes, wondering if every woman who crossed Oliver’s path threw themselves at him in the same way.  No wonder he had such an ego.

“Uh, you know what, I wouldn’t want to steal the hocus pocus away from the birthday girl.  How about a little something special for someone who truly deserves it, okay?”  Oliver neatly sidestepped the sexy magician and guided her over to Chloe as he spoke.  He smiled at Chloe once more before hurrying away.

The lady magician watched him leave before turning her attention to Chloe.  Her expression of disinterest gave way to one of sympathy.  “Rough birthday, huh?”

“You know the napalm scene in ‘Apocalypse Now?’  More fire, less cake.”  Chloe tried to inject a note of humor, but it was feeble at best.

The mysterious woman smiled at Chloe knowingly.  “Well, let’s make sure tomorrow’s a better day.”

Chloe’s resigned smile faded as she stared at the other woman.  Something about this moment felt different and somehow important.

“Make a wish.”

Chloe looked down at the candle on her cupcake, missing the sudden flash of power in the woman’s intense blue eyes.  She thought about just blowing it out and skipping the wish, but it was almost as if an inner voice was urging her to make a real wish, which was silly.  Because no matter what she wished for, she felt certain that her life would be one hundred percent as crappy tomorrow as it was today.

_And now I’m totally going to need that dagger for my corset_ , Chloe mentally chastised herself.  She looked up and saw Lois standing near the exit, laughing as she talked on her cell phone.  What would it be like to be Lois?  But even as the thought crossed her mind, she amended it.  After all, she didn’t really want to be Lois.  It was more that she wondered what it would be like to have the courage to blow through life, taking the bull by the horns and forcing it to do her bidding.  What would it be like to feel that sort of confidence for a night, to have that kind of control in her own life?

She looked back down at her cupcake and blew out the candle.  A smile crept over her face like the sun emerging from storm clouds as a lighter feeling spread throughout her body.  Suddenly she felt like her night was looking up.

* * *

 

Oliver ran his hand over the back of his neck and rolled his shoulders as he stepped into the Ace of Clubs.  After a very long day filled with contracts, meetings and mission oversight for the Keystone job, he wanted nothing more than to head home and crash.  But then he’d remembered the sad look on Chloe’s face, alone at her own birthday party, and he knew he had to check on her before he headed home.  Glancing around the crowded club, he was surprised to see Lois scowling in the direction of the bar.

“I thought you had a flight to Mexico?” Oliver asked as he walked over to join her.

“Yeah, I traded first class for a later flight and a crappier seat after aliens invaded this birthday party, snatched my favorite cousin, and left a sexed-up clone in her place.  I mean, I can’t leave while Chloe’s channeling The Girls Next Door now, can I?”

Oliver laughed.  “Come on, Lois, you’re talking about Chloe.  Don’t you think you’re exaggerating?”

Lois raised her brows.  “Exaggerating?  Take a look at the bar and then tell me I’m blowing this out of proportion.  ‘Cuz I know my cousin and that girl?  That is _not_ Chloe.”

Oliver turned his head toward the bar with another laugh, but it died as he took in the scene that had Lois so worried.  “What the hell?”  He could hardly believe what his eyes were assuring him was real.  Chloe Sullivan was seated at the bar surrounded by a crowd of men, all clearly vying for her attention, as she leaned forward and did a body shot off the taut abs of a man lying on the bar.  The men cheered as she took the lime in her mouth and sucked hard.  Oliver felt a bolt of awareness shoot down his spine like liquid lightning.

“Exactly,” Lois replied.  “I’ve been fighting the urge to click my heels together because I feel like I’ve landed in an alternate universe where Chloe’s the hell raiser and I’m the responsible one.  And that’s a scary ass world, let me tell you.  What happened after I left her with you, anyway, huh?”

Oliver’s eyes remained glued to the petite blonde and her crowd of admirers at the bar even as he answered Lois.  “I…nothing.  Nothing happened.  I’d been in meetings all day, but I took a break to come deliver Clark’s present and wish Chloe a happy birthday.  Then I had to head back to the office.  She was fine when I left.”

“By _fine_  I assume you mean that she wasn’t licking strange men in public, right?  She hasn’t even had that much to drink, not by Sullivan-Lane standards.  And I’ve seen her far more wasted before – she never acts like this.”

“Maybe she wanted to let loose on her birthday?”  Even as he spoke, Oliver knew the idea was ridiculous.

Lois snorted in disbelief.  “Chloe’s idea of letting loose lately is staying up past midnight for a movie and calorie fest instead of working.  And the one time she really let loose on her birthday, she was possessed by the spirit of an evil witch.  Maybe in our younger, club hopping days she would have done a little bump and grind on the dance floor, but this?  Hell to the no, which is why I’m thinking we may need a priest and an exorcism before the night’s over.  And just where is Clark?  Because I could use his help tonight; otherwise I’m going to have to reschedule my flight again.”

Oliver turned his head to follow Chloe as she suddenly hopped off her stool and headed for the dance floor as the men chased after her.  She began to sway seductively to the beat of the music, closing her eyes and sliding her hands over her body.  The room felt hotter all of a sudden, and he reached up to loosen his tie a little.  “Look, there must be a more reasonable explanation than possession.  She’s had a lot to deal with lately, and she seemed a little sad earlier.  She told me birthdays made her reflective.  Maybe she just decided to blow off a little steam.”  _Or a lot of steam – possibly an entire flotilla of steamboats.  Maybe Lois had a point._

“I don’t know,” Lois said doubtfully.  “All I know is that I can’t leave her alone like this.  She swore up and down earlier that she was fine, but God knows what will happen if she decides to let one of these douchebags take her home.”

That hadn’t occurred to Oliver, and he realized he didn’t like the idea of Chloe being a one night stand for one of those guys.  The irony didn’t escape him.  “Lois, I can stay with her if you need me to.  And I promise I won’t let her do anything crazy…or crazier.”

Lois tapped her foot as she continued watching Chloe.  After a moment she nodded.  “If this assignment wasn’t such a big deal, I’d blow it off.  And I’d blow it off anyway if I had to.  But I trust you to take care of her, so… don’t make me regret it.  And thanks, Ollie.”

Oliver watched her walk across the club to talk to her cousin.  One of the men stepped up behind Chloe and wrapped a possessive arm around her waist as if afraid she might be leaving, and Lois poked him in the chest hard enough to make him back up as she talked to Chloe. 

Lois finally hugged Chloe and turned to leave, lifting a hand to Ollie as she headed toward the exit.  Oliver moved over to the bar, keeping Chloe in view as he slid onto a stool.  Their eyes met, and a little smile tilted the corners of her mouth as she held Oliver’s gaze.  She began to dance, leaning back against the man whose arm had snaked around her waist again.  His eyes narrowed as the man moved his hands over Chloe’s hips.  He could already tell that guy was going to be a problem.

Oliver rapped on the bar to get the bartender’s attention.  “You know the birthday girl, right?”

The bartender, a muscular guy in his mid-twenties, smirked at Oliver as he nodded toward the dance floor.  “Hot little blonde?  What about her?”

Oliver swallowed his irritation.  “How much was she drinking earlier?”

“Not that much, really.  She had a couple of mixed drinks, did a couple of body shots. That was just for entertainment I think,” he answered with a laugh.

“And you didn’t see anyone put anything in her drinks or pass her anything?”  If he found out someone had drugged her, he was going to kick some asses.  And the asshole with his hands all over her was already suspect number one.

The bartender shook his head, more serious now.  “No way, man.  I keep an eye out for that kind of shit because someone tried that on a friend of mine.  It’s not happening on my watch, and I was paying more attention to her because of all the dudes hanging around.”

Oliver could tell he was being truthful.  “Thanks.  And I’ll have a scotch, neat.”  He turned his head to check on Chloe, only to find that she was staring at him.  She slid her hands slowly up the arms of the guy holding her, her eyes never leaving Oliver’s.  Heat curled low in his belly, and he took a deep breath.  He wasn’t sure what it was, but something was definitely different about Chloe.  And if she wasn’t drunk and it wasn’t drugs then he was at a loss as to how to explain what was going on.  Suddenly, Lois’s possession and alien clone theories seemed a lot less ridiculous to him.

He sipped his drink as he kept his vigil.  After a few minutes, Chloe looked away from Oliver and turned to the man she was dancing with.  The man’s hands cupped the full curves of her ass as she leaned in to whisper something to him.  Oliver stood, fully intending to go pull the guy off of her, but he paused and sat down again when she turned and began walking to the bar. 

She slid onto the stool beside him and smiled at him as she leaned against the bar.  “Thought you had better things to do tonight.”

Oliver watched her closely.  She seemed okay – not out of control.  “It wasn’t about having better things to do.  I was working.  But as you can see, I came back to be sure you were having a good birthday.”

“Best birthday I can remember, actually.  I found a whole new Chloe ready to come out and play, and she’s very popular.”  She twirled a curl around her finger, and he followed the movement, wondering if her hair was as soft as it looked.

_Get a grip, man_.  “I can see that.  Gotta say I’m a little surprised though, Chloe.  Body shots, really?”

She smirked.  “I’ve actually always wanted to try that, but I never had the courage to do it.  You know, you and I are a lot alike lately, Ollie.  Too much with the work, not enough play time.”

“You’re certainly making up for that tonight,” he pointed out.  He allowed his gaze to wander down her body, wondering why he hadn’t noticed before how the dress she was wearing hugged her petite, curvy figure in all the right places.  Something he definitely shouldn’t be noticing.

“You know the last time I had great sex?”

Oliver nearly choked on his drink.  “Uh… what?”

“Never.  I’m pretty sure I’ve never had great sex.  Isn’t that sad?  I’ve only had sex with one man, and Jimmy never really revved up my lady parts like I’ve heard other women describe.  Sometimes a woman just needs a hot, sweaty, toe-curling, mind-blowing, multiple-orgasm-producing session between the sheets, right?”

She leaned in closer to him, her delicate, feminine scent clouding his senses.  Oliver felt his whole body tense with sexual need as she reached out and ran a finger down his tie.  This was not happening.  Only it was happening – Chloe Sullivan was trying to seduce him.  And oh, was she succeeding.  “Chloe…”

“Oh, come on Ollie, I know you’ve thought about it before.  We both have.  And I’m willing to satisfy that curiosity for both of us. One night, no strings, just…pleasure.”

Oliver swallowed hard, unable to believe the words coming out of Chloe’s mouth.  She was like the breathing incarnation of one of his sex fantasies, and she wasn’t wrong.  He had thought about it once or twice.  They had been more the passing thoughts variety of fantasy than anything, but it was male nature to go there with most women.  “Chloe, I think we both know that would be a bad idea.”

She shook her head regretfully before leaning forward and nipping his ear in a move that went straight to his groin.  “Party pooper.”  She leaned back again and raised a thoughtful brow.  “But that’s okay.  I’m pretty sure Dave will have no problem taking me up on that offer.”  Chloe turned to glance over her shoulder at the man still staring at them intently.

_Hell no_.  “Wait.”

Chloe turned back to him, a smug grin on her face.  “Tick tock, Ollie.  You game?”

Was she playing him?  She definitely seemed more like the Chloe he knew as she challenged him.  He studied her face.  Her eyes were clear – no sign of drugs and though she was tipsy, she was nowhere near falling-down drunk.  Maybe he’d been right earlier when he told Lois she was just blowing off steam.  The question was if he was willing to cross that line with a woman he considered a friend, someone who knew more about him than any woman, including Lois.

Oliver made his decision quickly.  He stood up and held out his hand to Chloe.  “Let’s go.”


	2. Chapter 2

By the time they walked into the Clocktower, the tension between them was heavy, a weight of anticipation hanging in the air.  Oliver kept his hand on her back as he guided her into his apartment.  “Do you want a drink?”

Chloe allowed him to take her jacket, and his blood heated as his fingers touched the smooth, bare skin on her shoulders and arms.  He could feel her eyes on him as he walked away to drape it over the corner of the sofa. 

“Not thirsty.”  She walked over to join him, sliding a hand across his chest and down his left arm.

Oliver cleared his throat.  “You know, maybe some water.”  He walked over to the bar and got two small bottles of water out of the mini fridge.  He offered her one before taking a long drink of his in an attempt to cool down a little.

He looked over at Chloe again.  She met his gaze steadily as she took a sip of the water before recapping it.  “Oliver, what are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

She gestured at the distance between them.  “It’s a little harder to do what we’re both thinking about when you’re keeping half a room between us.”

Oliver leaned back against the bar as he studied her.  She still seemed just as confident as she had earlier, and she didn’t appear to be having second thoughts.  “We’ll be crossing a line we can’t uncross, Chloe.  And you have to admit that whatever’s going on with you tonight, it’s a little weird for you.  For a while I thought maybe you were really drunk or you’d been drugged, but I can see it’s not that.  I just need to be sure.”  He waited, unmoving as she crossed the room slowly to stand before him. 

“Ollie, the only thing weird going on right now is that it’s apparently harder to seduce a world famous playboy than a virgin on parental lockdown.  My ego is taking a serious hit here.”  Chloe wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed herself against him.  He cupped her hips, his thumbs stroking over the material of her dress.

“Well we can’t have that,” Oliver said softly.  He stifled a groan as she rocked her hips against him.  In a sudden move he turned so that she was the one pressed against the bar.  He lifted her up, and her legs automatically wrapped around him.  He stared into her green eyes, searching for any sign that this wasn’t what she wanted.  He saw none.

“No regrets, Chloe.  I don’t want to do this if there’s any chance you’re going to wake up tomorrow upset about it.”  And he meant it.  As much as he wanted her, he didn’t want to do anything to add to the hurt she’d been carrying around lately.

“No regrets, Ollie,” she agreed breathlessly.  She slid her arms around his neck and rocked her hips against him in a silent plea.

Oliver let go of his doubts and kissed her.  Their lips met and clung, gently at first, seductive, and his first thought was that Chloe was a hell of a kisser.  But what started as a caressing of lips soon became passionate, tongues sliding together in a way that clearly foreshadowed coming activities and left them wanting more.  Oliver moved his mouth to her cheek and then bent his head slightly to run his tongue along her jawline, tasting her skin for the first time.  And it was amazing.

“Oh, God yes,” Chloe moaned.  “I’ve thought about this ever since we met in Clark’s barn.”  She lowered her head and pressed slow, open-mouthed kisses against his neck, and he couldn’t contain the slight shuddering of his muscles in her wake.

“Really – so you’ve fantasized about me, is that it?”  If possible, the idea that he had featured in Chloe’s fantasies turned him on even more.  He pulled her away from the wall and walked to his bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him.

Chloe leaned back to grin at him, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of humor and desire.  “What, you want to know if I’m thinking about you when I go for solo play?  Cocky much?”

“Do you?”  Picturing Chloe spread out on her bed, pleasuring herself as she thought about what he could do to her, made him harden even more.  “And it goes both ways.”  He sat on the edge of the bed and played with the knot of her halter dress, loosening it with skilled fingers.

Chloe rocked forward on his lap, pressing her breasts against his chest.  “I admit I have a few fantasies involving green leather and rooftops, or maybe my desk at work.”

“Kinky.”  Oliver thought about the skirts he’d seen her wear in the office.  He’d definitely have some new fantasies of his own now.  He lowered the zipper of her dress and explored the soft skin along her spine, smirking when she shuddered.

Chloe suddenly stood and allowed her dress to fall and pool at her feet.  Underneath she was wearing only a strapless, deep cream silk bra trimmed in black lace, matching panties and heels.  He swallowed hard, all of the blood in his head rushing south so quickly he had to close his eyes for a second.  When he opened them, Chloe was staring at him expectantly.

“One of us is still wearing too many clothes,” she murmured, raising a brow at him.

Well.  He could definitely take care of that problem.  He never took his eyes off of her as he unbuttoned his shirt, tossing it carelessly to the side as his hands went to the button of his pants.  In a few swift moves he was down to his boxer briefs.  He leaned back against the headboard and spread his arms out.  “Better?”

Chloe stepped out of her heels and bounced onto the bed, practically pouncing on him as she parted her thighs to straddle his hips.  She braced her hands on his chest and caressed the defined muscles there before moving up to his shoulders.

“I like a woman who knows how to come out on top,” Oliver quipped, but his eyes were dark with desire, not humor.  His hands found her breasts, squeezing lightly before moving along the soft skin of her belly and on down to her thighs.

“I kind of feel like a cowgirl,” she teased in return, beginning a steady, rocking rhythm against him. 

Oliver groaned, his hands tightening on her hips.  “Does that mean I get to be the bucking bronco?”

“Oh, I hope so,” she replied breathlessly.  Then she tangled her fingers in his hair and kissed him hard and deep.

While her aggressiveness was still shocking, it was also a huge turn-on.  Who knew Chloe had this much pent-up passion?  He took advantage of her position to undo the clasp of her bra.  The silk cups fell away from her perfect breasts, demanding his full focus.  Her skin was pale, the peaks of her breasts perfectly pink, and he cupped them in his hands eagerly.

His mouth followed, suckling and teasing, and he heard her breathing hitch.  Her thighs tightened at his hips and she leaned forward as she began to grind against him almost frantically.  He knew she was close, so he slid her just a little higher, helping her reach that perfect angle as he moved his hips beneath her.  She moaned loudly as she shuddered through her first orgasm and slumped against him, panting, as he kissed the side of her neck.

 “Unbelievable,” Chloe said in amazement before sitting up.  “We’re not even completely undressed and that was still the best orgasm of my life.”

“That’s one,” Oliver smirked at her, his hands already moving over her body again.  “Ready to go again?”

“Definitely, but first…” she lowered her head and ran her tongue slowly across his chest, “I want to see if you taste as good as you look.”

She turned the tables on him so suddenly that he barely registered her words, instead distracted by the hot, wet heat of her mouth against his skin.  She continued moving lower and with an efficiency that he wasn’t expecting, she slid his briefs down and off his legs.

Returning to kneel between his legs, she ran one curious fingertip across his erection.  She smiled wickedly.  “Happy Birthday to me,” she murmured.  She wrapped her hand around him, squeezing firmly, and then her mouth was on him.  She pressed small, sucking kisses against his hard flesh, followed by slow licks as she bathed him with her tongue.

It was one of the most erotic experiences he’d ever had, and he was unable to tear his eyes away from Chloe as her mouth continued to move over him.  He slid his hand into her hair, fingers caressing the soft, blonde curls.  It wasn’t her oral skills that made it erotic, though he had to admit they were exceptional.  It was the fact that if someone had told him he’d be here, like this, with Chloe Sullivan tonight, he would never have believed them.  It was the unexpectedness of it, the thrill of being with someone he’d certainly never expected to hit the sheets with.

And it was going to end all too soon if he didn’t stop her.  He pulled away from her reluctantly.

“Hey, I was just getting started,” she pouted as she moved up to straddle him again.

He squeezed her hips and took a deep breath as the damp silk of her panties brushed against him.  “And we’ll be finished early if you keep that up.”  He flipped her neatly and settled her head on one pillow while placing another one under her hips.  “Besides, I still haven’t given you a birthday present.”

Chloe parted her thighs as he moved over her, trying to wrap her head around the fact that she was here with Oliver.  She slid her hands over the muscles of his back.  Just the feeling of his body against hers made her want to come again, especially when he began to nip the spot below her ear that drove her crazy.  It had taken Jimmy weeks to figure out the little things that turned her on, and Oliver was finding them all on the first go.  Damn, he was good.

“You know,” he said between short, nipping kisses against her neck, “I’ve had a few impure thoughts about you too.  Like how perfectly proportioned your ass is for a woman your size.  Noticed that on day one.”

“Really?  Because I thought tall, busty and brunette was more your type.”

“Consider me a convert to blonde, petite and curvy,” he answered as he moved down her body.  “Perfect breasts,” his tongue slid around one hard peak before sucking it into his mouth.

The pulling sensation went straight to her womb and she arched up against him sharply, her nails digging into his back.  He gave the same attention to her other breast, and she bucked under him, whimpering slightly.

He moved further down her body, drawing his tongue across her hip bones.  She knew what he was going to do but felt none of the embarrassment she had on the few occasions she’d allowed Jimmy to try giving her pleasure that way.  Maybe because they had both lacked experience it felt more awkward.  She doubted Oliver would have that problem.  She parted her legs further in anticipation.

“All this perfection in a sweet, fun size package,” he continued, biting down on the soft skin inside her right thigh.

 _Fun size?_   “Did you just compare me to a…” she never finished that thought as his tongue slid along the wet silk of her panties and pressed hard against her center.  She cried out as she nearly came off the bed.  She barely noticed as he slid her panties down and off before returning swiftly to run his tongue along her damp flesh.

She was helpless to do anything other than gasp and make small whimpering sounds, her fingers gripping his hair as he licked her, moving up and down in slow passes.  By the time he began teasing her sensitive bud, she could feel her second orgasm coming.  All it took was the steady probing of his fingers inside her to set her off.

Minutes later she was still trembling and drawing shaky breaths as she tried to calm down.  Oliver had moved up beside her and was now pressing kisses against her neck, the side of her head, and her hair as he rubbed her belly gently.  “That’s two,” he whispered.  “Ready for another one?”

Chloe laughed shakily as she angled her body towards him to kiss his shoulder.  “I think you’re going to have to give me another minute.”  She stroked her hand up and down his back as she tried to even out her breathing.  Suddenly, she thought about something he’d said earlier.  “You said it goes both ways.  Does that mean you’ve fantasized about me before?”

“What do you think?”

The idea was very intriguing.  “When?”

Oliver pressed a kiss against her lips and grinned at her.  “Maybe after you stormed in here, told me you knew all about the JL, and proceeded to take over my mission to rescue Bart.  Then last year when you and Victor had that hack-a-thon going.  It was kind of sexy the way you kept biting your lip when you were trying to figure out how to get around his firewalls.  And you argue with me – that’s kind of fun sometimes.”  He kissed her jaw again, breathing in her scent.

“CEO by day, vigilante by night, and you’re turned on when a woman orders you around and argues with you?  A shrink would have a field day with that, not to mention the tabloids,” Chloe teased him, tilting her head to give him better access to her neck.  

“It’s more that you have the confidence to stand toe-to-toe with me,” he answered, tracing the shell of her ear with his tongue.  “It hardly ever happens with the women I meet, so I find it very, very sexy.”

“Maybe you’re meeting the wrong kind of women.”  With all of her erogenous zones screaming for yet another release, she was surprised she could actually follow their conversation.  Or think at all, for that matter.  No one, nothing, had ever made her feel anything even close to this – and that included Jimmy, herself, _and_ the B.O.B. Lois had given her as an engagement gift.  One thing she was damn sure of now was that no one needed a B.O.B. if they were spending time in Oliver’s bed.

She shifted onto her back and drew her legs up when he followed to cover her body with his, propping himself on his forearms.  Oliver stared down at her, struck by how beautiful she was in that moment.  The occasional random fantasy aside, why had he never seen the potential for this with her? 

He kissed her slowly and slid his right hand down between her legs.  He rubbed gently before entering her with two fingers.  “Do I need a condom?”  Ordinarily he would never consider _not_ using one, but with Chloe it seemed different.

She opened her eyes, a slightly dazed expression on her face.  “I’m on birth control, and there was only Jimmy.  I’ve been checked since he and I were together.”

“It’s been a few months since I’ve been with anyone, and my last two medicals were clean.  It’s your call.”  He kissed one cheek and then the other before moving back to her neck.

Chloe answered him by pulling her knees up further, a silent invitation to her body.  He pulled his fingers from her.  “You’re really tight, so I need you to tell me if I’m hurting you, okay?”

At her nod he pushed forward, reminding himself to be careful.  Chloe was a lot smaller and less experienced than his past lovers and surprisingly, he was enjoying those differences.  The disparity in the size of their bodies, and the fact that she hadn’t had hordes of lovers before him – they were both much more of a turn-on than he’d ever have imagined.

He felt her nails digging into his shoulders and paused, rocking against her gently.  “You okay?”  Stopping was literally painful, but somehow he managed it.

“Yes – keep going.  I want to feel you all the way in,” Chloe said, moving her hands from his back to his arms.  She felt full and there was a slight pinching, but some female instinct demanded that she feel more of him. 

She looked up at Oliver, wishing she had a way to freeze the moment – this beautiful man looking at her with such desire and need and gentleness.  Regardless of his reputation with women, she’d sensed this about him when she saw him at the club earlier.  Somehow she’d just _known_ how it could be, and it was every bit as perfect as she’d guessed.

When he was all the way in, she tilted her hips experimentally.  She still felt full but the pinching sensation was gone, so she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him as she pushed her hips up against him.  His body came down more fully on hers, and he placed one hand on her hip to help guide their movements.

He continued kissing her everywhere as he moved above her – her lips, her face, her neck, her shoulders.  And when Chloe felt her orgasm approaching, she tightened her knees at his hips and pleaded.  “More.”  She wasn’t even sure what she needed more of; she just knew she needed _something_.

But Oliver knew what she needed.  He lifted her left leg higher, allowing him to rub against her as he thrust, and it wasn’t long before she felt her body trembling, the force of her climax rocking her all the way down to her toes.  She collapsed back against the pillow, moving her hands shakily down to his hips as he kept thrusting harder.  He tensed above her, his breathing as harsh as her own as he rode out his own release.

They lay on the bed quietly afterwards, hands stroking sweaty, cooling bodies.  Finally Oliver said, “That was round one.  Ready for the next one?”  He squeezed her hip playfully.

Chloe couldn’t help laughing.  “That all depends, I guess.  Can you at least tell everyone that I died happily when my body goes into sensory overload?”

“Such an amateur,” he teased her.  “Definitely gotta do something about that.”  He rolled onto his back, taking her with him.  “Starting now.”


	3. Chapter 3

Chloe fought wakefulness.  She was having the best dream ever and when she opened her eyes, she knew she’d have to acknowledge how low real life had sunk lately.  The thought of spending her day counseling Metropolis’ meteor infected until the wee hours followed by takeout for one made her want to pull the covers over her head and never come out.

After a few minutes she yawned and stretched, frowning at how sore her body felt.  Sore and… sticky?  _Weird_ , she thought sleepily.  The weather had cooled considerably recently.  She started to turn over but was prevented from doing so by the hard, male chest behind her.  _Wait, what?_   Chloe’s eyes flew open, her hand going to her mouth to muffle her startled gasp.  Her mind raced to catch up to this new development.  Maybe she was still dreaming?

She turned her head and saw Oliver. His chest rose and fell evenly indicating he was still sleeping soundly.  Chloe closed her eyes and opened them again, but the scene didn’t change.  With one tentative finger she touched his chest, and it was hard and real.  Definitely not a dream, then.  And if it wasn’t a dream then she had just spent the most passionate night of her life with Oliver Queen.

Chloe put a hand over her eyes as she tried to fight off an impending panic attack and connect the dots from the previous night.  Her birthday party at the Ace of Clubs – that was real, too.  She’d felt depressed earlier in the evening, but that had all changed.  She felt a blush suffusing her entire body as she remembered doing body shots and grinding on the dance floor.  And while she danced, she’d also been mentally undressing Oliver, who had returned to check on her.  Holy crap.  All of it was real.

_Well, you really just don’t mess around, do you Chloe?_   That inner voice that had been mocking her since her wedding from hell was back.  _What, it’s not enough that you’re 23 with a soon-to-be ex who hates you and a dead-end career?  Your life is literally going down in flames, and you had to add seducing your cousin’s ex to the fire?_

And she definitely had been the seducer, so she had no one to blame but herself for the awkward predicament she now found herself in.  But honestly, who knew she even had it in her to do such a thing?  Sure, she’d been a little tipsy but the alcohol couldn’t be blamed.  She’d been drunker than that on numerous occasions when out with Lois.  It certainly wasn’t Oliver’s fault.  He’d given her plenty of chances to back away, no harm no foul.  And yet, the whole night seemed like a rosy-tinted blur.

She reviewed everything that had happened the night before, trying to remember what the hell she had been thinking.  She definitely remembered the moment when her self-esteem had suddenly shot through the roof while sending her common sense AWOL.  She had been talking to the magician about her crappy birthday and… whoa.  Chloe’s eyes widened.  The magician.  That had to be it.

She crawled out of bed, careful not to wake Oliver as she picked up his discarded dress shirt and put it on.  She found her bag at the foot of the bed and fished out her cell phone.  With one last glance at Oliver, she walked into the large closet across the room and pulled the door closed as she waited for her cousin to pick up.

Lois answered on the second ring.  “So am I talking to the real Chloe or Chloe Gone Wild this morning?”

Chloe sighed.  “There’s only one me, Lois, contrary to last night’s minor lapse in judgment and public etiquette.”

“Minor lapse?  Need I remind you that you _licked_ bare-chested men in a bar, Chlo?  I had twenty emails this morning, all from male co-workers who were at the party and are now dying for your number.”

“Fine, it was a big lapse,” she snapped back, cringing.  It would be a long time before she’d be able to show her face at the _Planet_ again.  “Look, Lo, I need to know the name of that magician you hired for the party.”

“Looking for a way to wish away your embarrassment?”

Lois was having way too much fun with this.  “Funny coming from the woman who once got drunk enough to enter a jello wrestling contest in her underwear – and I _do_ still have those photos.”

“Zatanna Zatara, Mistress of Magic.  Corny but catchy.”

“Chloe?”

Chloe turned around to see Oliver standing in the doorway of the closet staring at her in confusion.

“Who the hell is that?”  Lois demanded.  “You didn’t go home with one of those guys from the bar, did you?  I’m going to kill Oliver.”

“Of course not – I’m at the coffee shop meeting a friend.  I’ll call you later, okay?”  She hung up before Lois could reply.  She forced herself to meet Oliver’s eyes, biting her lip uncertainly.  “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” Oliver replied, looking amused. 

Wearing only his boxer briefs, Oliver looked good enough to eat as he approached.  She felt her heart skip as he cupped her cheek and kissed her gently.  She clutched his arms and stifled a moan, unable to stop herself from responding to him.  When he pulled back, he smoothed her hair away from her face and kissed her temple.  “Are you hungry?  I’m not half bad in the kitchen if you like omelets and juice.”

She stared up at him in wonder.  He seemed a lot happier than he had on any of the recent occasions she had seen him.  Gone was the worry and stress he carried around with him.  Had she done that for him?  But it hadn’t been her at all, she reminded herself.  How was she supposed to explain this to him? 

Oliver watched Chloe, wondering if she realized he could actually see the gears turning in her head.  She was clearly worrying about something, and she seemed distant.  “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Ollie, we need to talk.”

_Those words never bode well_ , Oliver thought as Chloe walked past him and back into his bedroom.  He followed her to sit on the edge of the bed.  “Chloe, we said no regrets, right?  And I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I don’t have any.  Last night was one of the best nights I can remember in a very long time.”

Chloe started playing with the edge of the shirt she was wearing – his shirt.  Suddenly he wanted to do last night all over again.  He reached out and put his hand over hers.  “Come on, talk to me.”

She sighed and looked up at him.  “Do you remember that magician from last night?”

_She wanted to talk about that now?_   “I know she was hitting on me, but obviously I wasn’t interested.”

But Chloe shook her head.  “No, it’s not that.  We had this… I don’t know exactly. I guess you could call it a moment? A really weird moment.  I wasn’t happy, and I remember she said something about tomorrow being better. She told me to make a wish and then… I think she hexed me.”

“You think she hexed you,” Oliver repeated warily.  _Damn, she did have regrets_.  “Look, Chloe, if you’re having doubts or you’re feeling embarrassed about what happened last night then we should talk about it.  You don’t have to try to make an excuse.”

“Oliver, listen to me.  Something was very strange about that woman and right after I met her, I started feeling and behaving differently.  Obviously it’s worn off now, but I really think she cast some sort of spell.” 

Oliver stared at her.  “You’re serious.  You really think this woman did something to you?”

“Yes.”  She didn’t flinch as she answered him.

Suddenly everything from the night before made a lot more sense.  Lois had tried to tell him something was wrong, and he’d known that Chloe’s behavior was wildly out of character.  What had he done?  “Fuck.”  He put his head in his hands before linking them behind his head and staring at the floor. 

He felt the bed shift, and Chloe’s small hand rubbed down his back.  “Ollie, whatever happened, it wasn’t your fault and I don’t want you blaming yourself for anything that came after.”  When he didn’t answer her she said softly, “We said no regrets, remember?”

“Yeah, well, that was when I thought you were the one in the driver’s seat,” he answered shortly.

“Well, I’m in the driver’s seat now – no one here but boring old me.  And I still don’t regret it,” she admitted.  “Maybe I am a little embarrassed, but I can’t regret what happened between us, not when it was so amazing.  So thank you for my birthday present.”  She smiled at him, sincerity shining in her green eyes.

Oliver felt something shift inside him.  Last night had been amazing, but he knew that for him it was because of her, not a spell.  But if what Chloe believed was true then he was afraid that wouldn’t matter because it didn’t change the fact that she hadn’t been completely in control of her actions.  And no matter what she said, he should have realized something wasn’t right.  “I think we’d better find out who this woman is and get some answers.”

“Zatanna Zatara,” Chloe said.  “Lois was the one who hired her.”

Oliver’s brows drew together.  “I’ve heard that name before.  If she’s related to John Zatara, she probably does have real power.  He was the world’s greatest magician, but I heard that he’s dead now.”

“Maybe Zatanna is carrying on her father’s legacy,” Chloe stood up.  “I need to find out where she’s staying.”

“No.  I’m not letting you meet with her alone.  For all we know, she could be dangerous.”  Oliver stood up and found his pants.  He pulled out his phone and scrolled for a number.  “The manager at the club should know how to contact her.”

“Ollie, I honestly don’t think she was trying to hurt me.”

Oliver held up a finger.  “Jason, Oliver Queen.  Listen, there was a magician at my friend’s birthday party last night, Zatanna Zatara.  I want to set up a meeting with her.”  He listened for a moment.  “Great, I’d appreciate that.  Tell her she can come by my penthouse at the old Clocktower this afternoon at one.  Thanks, man.” 

Oliver hung up and looked at Chloe.  “We have a couple of hours if you want to take a shower.”

Chloe blushed, and he knew she was thinking about everything they’d done together last night.  “What makes you think she’ll come just because you asked her to?”

“Because sometimes being a world famous playboy is good for something,” Oliver answered, forcing a smile.  _But not always_ , he thought.  He had a feeling it wouldn’t help his situation with Chloe at all.

* * *

 

Zatanna arrived on schedule just as Oliver predicted.  Chloe sat on the sofa and watched Oliver place himself between her and the elevator ascending to the apartment.

The magician stepped off the elevator, and Chloe felt a twinge as she looked at her.  Oliver said he wasn’t interested, but there was no denying Zatanna Zatara was much more his type than she was.  She looked casual but sexy in tight jeans, a fitted red top that revealed her generous cleavage, and a sophisticated black leather jacket.  Black stiletto boots completed the look and added height to her already commanding presence.

Chloe had a lot to think about while she was in the shower earlier.  Over and over her mind returned to Oliver and every hot, steamy moment they’d spent together in his bed.  And as many times as she told herself to file it away under never to be repeated, she wondered if he’d felt even a little of what she had.  And if he had, would it be possible for them to salvage something more permanent from the experience?  A part of her wanted that, but seeing Zatanna again brought reality crashing back with a vengeance.

“So, Oliver Queen, you asked for a personal meeting.  What can I do for you?”  Her tone made it clear she was open to any suggestion he might make, personal or otherwise. 

“You can start by explaining what kind of spell you wove for my friend,” Oliver replied evenly, gesturing toward Chloe.

Chloe rose and faced Zatanna.  “I’m not sure I can say it’s nice to see you again, but I really do have questions about last night.”

“The birthday girl,” Zatanna murmured.  She looked disappointed for a moment but rallied quickly.  She glanced over Chloe’s dress from the previous night and smirked.  “I’m guessing you had a very good night.  You looked like you were having fun before I left.”

“Maybe this is funny to you, but what you did could have gotten her hurt,” Oliver said angrily.  “Taking away someone’s free will isn’t a game.”

Zatanna looked surprised.  She turned back to Chloe.  “Is that what you think happened?”

“I… no, not exactly,” Chloe admitted.  “But you did do something, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did.  I granted your wish.”  Zatanna raised a brow.  “You do remember your wish, don’t you?”

“But I didn’t wish to do all the things I did last night,” Chloe protested. 

“And wishes aren’t that specific,” Zatanna countered.

“Meaning what exactly?”  Oliver looked at Chloe, and she could tell he was wondering what she had wished for.

“Meaning that I don’t have the power to take away someone’s free will, and even if I did, I wouldn’t.  What I gave your friend last night was a gift – it was what she wanted most in that moment,” Zatanna explained.

Chloe felt frustrated.  “Can we just drop the cryptic?  I need to know exactly how the wish worked.”

Zatanna tilted her head slightly as she looked at Chloe.  “Do you remember what you were thinking about when you made your wish?”

“I was thinking about my cousin Lois,” Chloe said.  “I was thinking about… her confidence.  I wanted to know what it felt like to be that confident about my own life.”  She felt Oliver’s eyes on her.  God, how embarrassing to have to admit that in front of him.

Zatanna seemed to sense Chloe’s embarrassment and glanced at Oliver.  “I think Chloe and I should have a private chat.  I swear to you that I would never do anything to hurt her.”

Oliver hesitated.  Chloe tore her eyes away from Zatanna and walked over to join him.  “It’s okay,” she said softly, looking up at him.  He reached out and squeezed her hand.

“I’ll be in my office if you need me.”  Without sparing another glance at Zatanna, he left them alone.

Zatanna looked back at Chloe.  “So, your wish was confidence.  The thing is, you already have it.  I could see that in some areas you have a lot of confidence, and in others you have none.  But that’s normal after you’ve been hurt by the people in your life.  Your confidence in yourself is buried right now, but it is there.  So for one night, I banished all of your fears, your insecurities and hang-ups, your depression. The rest, though? That was all you.”

“That’s all?”  Chloe was skeptical.  “I did some very out of character things last night.  Body shots come to mind.”  And practically attacking Oliver, and all the hot sex, was also not her norm.

“And can you honestly tell me that you never wanted to do any of those things before last night?”  The other woman raised her brows in a silent challenge.  When Chloe didn’t answer, she said, “Maybe that was the real Chloe standing up for the first time in a long time.”

“I’d like to think the real Chloe is not an honorary Kardashian,” Chloe commented dryly.

Zatanna smiled.  “Hey, every girl needs at least one good story to tell her grandkids, right?  And remember – everything really does happen for a reason.  Take care Chloe.” 

Chloe was thoughtful after Zatanna left.  Their conversation had definitely given her a lot to think about.

* * *

 

Chloe was silent on the drive back to Smallville, and Oliver kept glancing at her, wondering what she and Zatanna had talked about after he left.  Whatever it was had apparently given Chloe a lot of food for thought because he was certain he’d never seen her be quiet for so long.

The part of Zatanna’s explanation he heard had given him a lot to think about as well.  Chloe had made a wish, unintentionally, and had apparently gained confidence in areas where she lacked it in reality.  He was relieved that the spell had been nothing more than that, but it still boiled down to whether or not Chloe would have done things differently without the spell.  And he didn’t need an explanation from Zatanna to know the answer to that.

But he believed things happened for a reason.  And now that he and Chloe were in new territory, he wanted to make sure they could move forward from here.  He had been planning to talk to Chloe about something this week anyway, so he decided to start with that.

Oliver cleared his throat as they pulled into the parking lot of the Talon.  He parked his car and turned to Chloe.  “I’ve been meaning to run something by you.  How would you like to take on Watchtower as a full-time job?  The team could really use your skills, and with QI, Luthor Corp, and the team, I admit I could use the help.”

Chloe looked at him in surprise.  “That’s weird because I was actually going to talk to you about the same thing.”

“Yeah?” 

She nodded.  “I’d like that.  I started thinking this morning that maybe it’s time for me to turn over the reins of Isis to my senior counselor.  She has a business degree, and she’s meteor infected herself, so she would be a good person to handle the day-to-day running of the foundation.  And that would free up more time for me to work for you.”

Oliver hadn’t expected it to be that easy.  “Okay, great.”  He wondered if that was a positive sign because business wasn’t the only thing he wanted to talk to her about.

They got out of the car and walked into the Talon.  Oliver gestured toward a table.  “Coffee?” 

She looked at him almost shyly and smiled.  “That sounds good.”

“Chloe Sullivan?”

They turned to see a man wearing a button down shirt and dark pants, holding an envelope.

“I’m Chloe,” she replied, looking curious.

“You’ve been served.  Have a nice day.” 

Oliver glared at the man as he hurried off.  When he looked back at Chloe, her face was pale, her mouth tight as she stared down at the envelope.  He glanced at the return address to see the name of a law firm in Metropolis.  _Damn._   Oliver had a feeling he knew what it was, and Chloe confirmed it a moment later.

“My divorce papers,” she said tonelessly.  She looked up and tried to laugh.  “At least he waited until after my birthday.”

From the moment he’d returned to the club, he’d honestly forgotten all about Chloe still being technically married.  And here it was – the reminder that he and Chloe were probably not on the same page about last night because she still had a lot to deal with in putting her failed marriage behind her.  And as much as he wanted to help, he had a feeling she wouldn’t welcome it at the moment.  He could practically see the walls coming up to shield her from the world.

So he offered the only thing he could.  “Why don’t you come to my office on Monday, Chloe.  We’ll sit down and talk to my lawyer.  We’ll get it straightened out together, all right?”

She nodded, and her lips quivered slightly as she looked up at him.  “Thanks, Oliver.  And I’ll let you know when I’m ready for the other thing we talked about.” 

She turned to go up the stairs, but Oliver stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.  “Chloe, it will get better.  You’ll see.”  He wanted to say more, but he knew it wasn’t the time.  Maybe it would be better for both of them to take a step back and gain some perspective on what happened.  But if that was true, why didn’t it make him feel any better?


	4. Chapter 4

_Oliver’s lips against the back of her neck sent shivers of pleasure coursing through her.  Everything about him was overwhelming.  The heat given off by his body warmed her from the inside out, and his scent was everywhere – on her, on the sheets.  His strong hands and skilled bowman’s fingers were such a contradiction – powerful enough to fight, yet infinitely gentle when he touched her.  He pressed closer to her, and then he was turning her onto her stomach, following behind her.  Her breathing hitched, and she braced one arm beside her, her hand caught in his as he threaded their fingers together.  She lifted her hips, aided by his other arm supporting her, and he entered her so carefully that Chloe blinked back tears, fighting a sudden and intense rush of emotions.  There was no hurry, no rush to completion as they moved together steadily.  She’d never felt anything this intensely before, and she was afraid she never would again._

Chloe opened her eyes as she awoke, feeling the same intense disappointment she always felt after having one of these dreams.  It was like her brain refused to let her forget, and no matter how many times she tried to tell herself that it was over, that she and Oliver were better off being friends, her memories colored her dreams.  Round one that night had turned into rounds two and three, each more amazing than the last.  And she was fairly certain the experience had ruined her for all other men on a permanent basis.

Maybe if she didn’t have to see him so often she’d have a better shot at compartmentalizing and putting it behind her.  But beginning with helping her out on the legal aspects of her divorce, it seemed that Oliver was determined to have a role in her life.  They’d been friendly before her birthday, had relied on one another when necessary, but since then he called more often, asking her about her day and telling her about the latest QI business.  He stopped in to make sure she had everything she needed, often bringing food or coffee with him if he knew she had been in the office all day.  It was apparent that more than being Green Arrow and Watchtower, hero and sidekick, he wanted them to be friends and partners.

When she finally turned over the reins of Isis, Oliver showed her the place he had purchased to be the Justice League’s base of operations in Metropolis.  The beautiful building was located in the heart of the city, and the view from the top was breathtaking.  He called it Watchtower, which made it seem more like hers, and it gave her a sense of belonging she hadn’t felt since Lex fired her from the _Daily Planet_.

There was a sitting area of sorts with a comfortable couch and a few chairs.  He had also spared no expense on the hardware.  The main room was outfitted with the latest in technology, and her fingers literally itched to try out the computers from the moment she walked in.  By far her favorite part of the room was the large, stained glass window that overlooked Metropolis.  The space was bright and open, and the sunlight filtering through the colored panes created a rosy glow at sunset.  There was no denying that being at Watchtower gave her a hopeful feeling about her future.

Chloe sighed and got out of bed, her mind not as focused as she would like.  She and Victor had been working in tandem online to get through the firewalls of a company that Oliver felt certain was a front for drugs and money laundering.  She had another full day ahead of her working on this project - she needed to get a shower, down at least a gallon of coffee to make up for her restless night, and try to get her mind back in the game.

By the time she reached Watchtower, she felt marginally better and more awake.  The coffee helped, as did the sunlight streaming through the windows.  Chloe found that she really didn’t miss the tomb of the _Planet’s_ basement anymore as she touched her finger to one of the small flowering plants Oliver had brought in for her, breathing in the calming scent.  She had warned him that her thumb was more black than green, but he assured her that he would handle the watering and other necessary care.  He had brought the first one to her on the day her divorce was finalized, a lovely and aromatic lavender plant in a deep purple ceramic container.

The second had shown up the day she officially began at Watchtower, and she had to admit it was her favorite.  Oliver called it a Calandiva, a type of kalanchoe plant bred in the Netherlands.  The plant had a rose-shaped flower head with multi-layered petals in varying shades of orange.  The vibrant color contrasted nicely with the deep green of the leaves, and it never failed to brighten her mood every morning. 

She logged in and went through the reports from the previous evening, noting any changes in high crime areas.  When Victor logged in, they traded their usual banter as they worked flawlessly together.  The firewall remained elusive, but they knew they were getting close to cracking it.  Morning turned into afternoon and afternoon to evening.  And with the evening came Oliver bearing food and caffeinated beverages. 

“How’s the firewall coming along?”  Oliver asked, handing her a large mocha latte with extra whip and a dash of raspberry syrup.

Chloe took a grateful sip of the hot coffee, but almost immediately she wrinkled her nose and raised a brow at him.  “This is not a triple shot, Ollie.  Never think you can fool me when it comes to coffee.  And we’re close on the firewall – we’ll probably be in by tomorrow afternoon.”

Oliver laughed.  “I wasn’t trying to fool you, but I am planning to send you home at a reasonable hour tonight.  A double should get you through my patrol and still allow you to do that crazy thing we mere mortals call sleep.”

“If you start regulating my caffeine intake, you may not like the results,” she teased him.  “Clark tried it once in high school, and he still talks about what a beast I was for those few days.  He called me Chlozilla – I mean, there’s a reason why he brings me coffee whenever he needs a favor.”

“I think I’ll risk it. You don’t scare me as long as I’ve got my bow,” he replied with mock solemnity.  “I had a dinner meeting earlier, so I think I’ll go ahead and suit up, get ready to get out there.”

Chloe nodded, already digging into the lemon and herb grilled salmon on rice with steamed vegetables.  While Oliver wasn’t a complete health nut, often eating heavier foods like Indian curries or Chinese with her, he preferred eating balanced meals.  She’d never been particularly fond of following specific diet plans, but she did enjoy most of the healthier meals he brought for her.  It was nice that he cared enough to make sure she was eating well, so she appreciated the gesture.  And he was smart enough to include one of her favorite desserts with her coffee.

Chloe had finished eating by the time Oliver returned wearing his uniform.  She stood at her desk, sifting through the stacks of crime reports she’d printed off from the last few months.  One of her goals was to be able to predict neighborhoods and seasons that might experience a spike in crime based on past crime rates and the conditions and areas that attracted trouble.  She’d found that the Metropolis PD’s reports were a little too vague and incomplete for her comfort.  Her desk was also messier than usual due to the extra hardware she was using to monitor the firewall project, and she leaned across to grab a stack of papers threatening to topple over the other side.

Oliver leaned around her, using his longer arms to slide the papers away from the edge of the desk.  “When this desk collapses under the weight of your many projects, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“This is probably the sturdiest desk in the city – or it should be, considering what you paid for it,” Chloe scoffed as she glanced up at him, her smile fading when she saw the flash of heat in his brown eyes.  She suddenly remembered that she’d told him about her Green Arrow fantasies, a few of which had involved a sturdy desk not unlike this one.  Her eyes dropped to his leather vest, heat climbing her cheeks.

He cleared his throat before he spoke.  “No, you’re right, it’s uh… definitely a strong desk.”  An uncomfortable silence stretched between them.  “I should probably get out there,” he said abruptly.

Chloe nodded.  “Sure.”  She watched him as he left, trying to quell her embarrassment.  Okay, so he knew she’d fantasized about him.  They were both healthy adults, and she told herself there was no shame in that – not really.  She wondered if Oliver still thought about her that way.  He never brought it up after he drove her home the morning after her birthday party, but she didn’t think she’d mistaken the sexual interest in his eyes when he looked at her just now either.

She supposed it was possible that he didn’t want to push her.  Her life had been such a mess in recent months that it would have been a bad time to start anything with anyone.  She bit her lip, her mind turning the problem over and over as she guided Oliver through his patrol.  After Zatanna explained how the wish had worked, Chloe gained a new perspective on her life.  The other woman had been right when she said that Chloe had confidence in some areas but not others. 

She was very confident in her role as Watchtower.  She knew without a doubt that she was an asset to the team, and she was certain that Oliver recognized that as well.  He’d never have asked her to take the job if he didn’t believe she was capable.  Chloe knew that she put a hundred percent into helping her friends when they needed her, but she was far less confident when it came to allowing herself to need others.  It went back to her abandonment issues, something Lois had told her long ago, and she was smart enough to see that now.

But lately she felt like her confidence was growing on a personal level.  She’d dealt with her sadness and feelings of failure about her brief marriage.  She’d accepted her role in it as well. She should have known better than to drag Jimmy into her world.  It was far too dangerous because he didn’t have all the facts, and that was on her.  He’d loved her, but he also didn’t know the real Chloe, and she realized now that had appealed to her on some level.  He was an oasis of normality in her strange world of aliens, vigilantes and meteor freaks, but she hadn’t loved him enough to marry him.

Chloe felt she could accept that now without drowning in the guilt that had weighed on her for so long.  Jimmy had left Metropolis months ago and returned to his hometown, and she hoped he was able to find a little of the peace she finally gained.  She knew his family would be a good support system for him. 

And she had her own support system. Lois had poked and prodded since the divorce, refusing to allow Chloe to wallow.  Clark was a little clueless when it came to things like this, but he had been very sweet in some of his attempts to cheer her up since her birthday.  It was nice to feel like their friendship was returning to normal. 

Then there was Oliver.  Without question, she had come to rely on him even more than on Lois and Clark.  They saw each other on a near daily basis, and he’d been nothing but supportive of her since their night together.  That night had changed things, and more than merely on a physical level.  It had forged an emotional connection between them, a new intimacy, and it hadn’t faded in the months since. 

However, she had a feeling that the ball was in her court.  If Oliver still felt something for her – and she suspected he did – she doubted that he would act on it without a cue from her.  Chloe thought he probably still felt guilty for allowing things to go so far between them when she was not behaving normally.  So if she wanted things to change, she’d need to work up the confidence to do it.  And that meant starting with Lois.

* * *

 

Chloe waited for her cousin at a popular diner near the _Daily Planet_ , tapping her fingers nervously against the table.  She’d decided it was time to take the bull by the horns and tell Lois how she felt about Oliver.  If Lois had any problem with the idea of her cousin dating her ex then Chloe wanted them to deal with it together before she approached Oliver. 

She was fairly certain that Lois would be fine with it.  She and Oliver had ended things years ago, and recently Chloe sensed something brewing between Lois and Clark.  As far as she knew they weren’t dating yet, but there was certainly an element of playful flirtation in their conversations with each other lately.  Regardless, she owed it to her cousin to run this past her before she went any further with her plan. 

Chloe was shaken out of her thoughts by Lois’s rather loud entrance.  She realized that she could, and had, learned a lot from Lois.  Her take-no-prisoners attitude about life in general was inspiring in its own way, though Chloe thought it wise to temper it with a bit more reason and caution because that was _her_ way.  And she was beginning to be okay with that, too.

“I swear, Clark is the slowest proofreader on the planet,” Lois complained as she sat down with a huff.

“Maybe that has something to do with the number of spelling mistakes he has to correct?”  She teased Lois with a playful lift of her brow.

“I use spell check,” she protested.  Lois sat back, looking closely at her cousin.  “You seem different today.  What’s going on?”

Chloe took a deep breath.  _Bull by the horns_ , she reminded herself.  “Lois, I wanted to talk to you about Oliver.”

“What about him?”  Lois grabbed a piece of bread from the basket on the table.  “Sorry, I’m starving.  Clark ate my doughnut this morning.  So, what about Oliver?”

“For one thing, I’ve started working for him.”

Lois looked surprised.  “You’re working for Queen Industries?”

“No, I’m working for Ollie.  On his _other_ projects – the green ones?”  Chloe sent Lois a pointed look.

Her cousin’s mouth fell open.  “You know!  About…” she waved her hands in the air, interrupting herself.  “Since when?”

“Uhm… a while?”

“I’m guessing a long while,” Lois surmised shrewdly.  “But I’m glad.  If anyone can keep Ollie on track and give him a reality check when he needs one, it’s you.  You won’t put up with his crap.  Though I have noticed he’s been missing from the public eye _and_ the tabloids in recent months.”

Chloe had noticed that too.  “He’s been working hard at both jobs.”

“So, if Ollie’s the president, does that make you the VP of his secret club?”  Lois leaned forward, an expression of interest on her face.  “What do you do exactly?”

“I guess I’m sort of like a VP,” Chloe shrugged.  “I help him with what I do best – computers - and I guide his nightly activities.”  She leaned forward and lowered her voice, conscious of the public setting.  “You know he asked his lawyer to help me with the paperwork for my divorce, and he’s been a really good friend lately.  I feel like I’m getting to know a whole new side of him.”

“Oh my God!”  Lois exclaimed.

Chloe drew back, startled.  “What?”

“You’ve been weird ever since your birthday and I knew it wasn’t all because of Jimmy.  That’s what that night was about. You like Oliver!”

“Lois, inside voice, okay?  And I told you that night was because of the magician,” Chloe replied, exasperated.

“Pfft,” Lois waved her explanation away.  “This makes way more sense than that ridiculous Harry Potter magical wish theory you came up with.  With that imagination, you should be writing for the _Inquisitor_.  Don’t worry though – I got this.”  She pulled out her phone and started typing.

Chloe was suspicious.  “What are you doing?”

“Setting up a foursome for dinner tomorrow night,” Lois answered.  “Me, Clark, you and Oliver.  Might as well get Smallville on board with this early because you know how he can be.”

 _Bad – very, very bad_.  “Lois, I’m not here to ask you to play matchmaker.”  She shuddered at the thought.

Lois snorted.  “Your birthday was clearly a cry for help, Chloe.  But we can pretend it was all _my_ idea.  That way when you get married, and I have a room full of beautiful, blonde nieces and nephews, I can take all the credit.”

“Lois, stop.  Yes, I have feelings for Oliver, but this is something I need to do on my own.  As much as I love you for being supportive and for wanting to help, I don’t think you can help me with this.  I’m going to talk to him tonight and see where his head’s at.”

Lois pouted for a moment before typing another message and putting away her phone.  “Where do you think his head’s at?”

Chloe bit her lip.  “He’s definitely attracted to me.  I got that much from all the crazy going on at my birthday party.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that,” Lois laughed.  “He looked completely shocked when he saw you that night, and this is Oliver Queen we’re talking about.  It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he sees you differently now.”

“I think it’s safe to say he sees me differently,” she agreed with a smile.  “But we’re friends too, and he’s been very sweet lately – bringing me dinner when I’m working late, supporting my caffeine addiction – little things, really, but they mean a lot to me.  And we work really well together.”

“Ollie is a smart guy.  You’re an amazing person, Chlo.  You’re smart and beautiful, you know the things he’s afraid to entrust other people with, and you support him in those things.  That’s a major hurdle already averted.  He’d be crazy not to see the potential there.”

“Crazy, huh?”

“Completely.”  Lois sat back and crossed her arms, smiling at Chloe.  “Happiness is a good look for you, you know.  And if he’s the one who’s done that for you lately, then I am one hundred percent on board.  One the other hand, you can tell him that if he hurts you, I’ll hurt _him_ with his own arrows.”

Chloe relaxed for the first time that day as she and Lois had lunch and continued to catch up.  She’d faced her first potential obstacle, and now it was time to bring the mountain to Mohammed, so to speak.  It was time to face Oliver and pray that she was right about what that night meant to both of them.

* * *

 

Oliver rolled his shoulders as he pushed back his hood and removed his dark glasses.  He leaned against the elevator wall and closed his eyes for a moment.  It had been a long day, or rather a series of long days.  He felt like he’d done little but work in the last few weeks.  Part of that really was work, but he could see that it was partly an avoidance tactic.  His life had become a weird cliché in that he was pining for a girl he was afraid he could never have.

He, Oliver Queen, was pining.  It was definitely not a good look on him.

Of course, he did have her for one night.  One crazy, insanely passionate night that had haunted him ever since.  He’d had plenty of one night stands and short term relationships, so he wouldn’t have thought that one night with Chloe could change everything the way that it had.  And now he was supposed to forget that night and flip the friendship switch whenever he was with her, which was almost daily due to League business.

He remembered the strange text message he’d gotten from Lois earlier suggesting that he, Clark, Lois and Chloe all go to dinner together the following night.  _That wouldn’t be awkward_ , he had thought sarcastically.  _Me, my ex-girlfriend, her new love interest, and her cousin that I secretly slept with and am now pining for like a high school boy with his first crush.  My life is seriously fucked up._

Oliver had been trying to figure out how he could avoid that scenario when he got another message from Lois saying she sent the text to him by mistake.  Of course, that had left him wondering if Lois intended to set Chloe up on a date with someone else.  His mood had gone steadily downhill for the rest of the day, although it had improved while eating takeout with Chloe before patrolling.  He wanted to ask her about Lois’s text message, to see if she had an upcoming date with someone that he wasn’t aware of.  And if she did, he wanted to derail that date as quickly as possible.

He stepped out of the elevator, pausing as he noted the dim lighting.  Had she left already?  “Chloe?”

“Over here, Ollie.”

He turned toward the couch in the sitting area, swallowing hard when he saw her.  Chloe was wearing a strapless dress in a deep, blue-green silk material that she definitely hadn’t been wearing before he left earlier.  It looked beautiful on her, enhancing her pale skin and deepening the green of her eyes.  She had kicked off her black heels and was curled into the corner of the couch, blonde curls tousled as if she’d just come from the bedroom.  His bedroom.  _What was going on?_

“Hey.”  It wasn’t his best conversation starter, but his throat was suddenly so dry he was surprised he’d managed even a one word greeting.

“Hey yourself,” she responded softly.  She patted the couch beside her.  “Wanna come sit?”

Oliver paused for a moment before walking across the room to sit beside her, leaving a bit of distance between them.

Chloe smiled up at him.  “How was patrol?  You didn’t seem to need much from me tonight.”

Oh, he needed more from her than she realized.  His eyes drifted over her body, and he rested his hand against the leather of his pants before he did something stupid like touch her.  Or kiss her.  “It was quiet tonight for a change.”

“We all need a quiet night sometimes.”  She reached out and placed her hand on top of his where it rested against his leg. 

He nearly bolted off the couch when she touched him.  He felt like he was strung tighter than his bow and if she kept touching him, she would definitely see that.  “Are you going somewhere?”

She shook her head slowly as she looked up at him and scooted closer.  Her hand slid up his arm in a brief caress before moving back down and taking his hand in both of hers.  Her hands were so small and soft, and they felt as gentle as butterfly wings.  Oliver wondered if anyone had ever touched him like that before.  He didn’t think so, and it caused an ache in his chest.  “Chloe, what are you doing?”

“If I have to tell you, then I must be doing something wrong,” she answered him, her tone teasing as her fingers traced patterns against his skin.  “I’ve had a lot of time to think about what happened between us, Ollie.  Months.  I feel like… like I’m ready to move forward with my life.”

Oliver was having a difficult time concentrating on her words because his body was too busy registering everything else about her.  He pulled his hand away from her in an attempt to regain some control, still unsure where she was going with this.  It almost seemed like she was trying to seduce him all over again, but he didn’t want to make assumptions.  Not about this.  “What does that mean?”

Chloe moved a little closer.  “Oliver, are you still attracted to me?”  She looked uncertain as she asked him that question.  “I thought today that…” she paused.  “I thought you were.”

 _Was she serious?_   “Chloe…”

“But if you’re not then that’s fine,” she hurried to say.  “I’m not saying I expect anything, but I was thinking that maybe… you know what?  It’s late and I should…” 

Her words were cut off when Oliver kissed her firmly, pulling her into his lap.  She responded eagerly by wrapping her arms around his neck, angling her body toward him as their lips met again and again. 

Oliver pulled away reluctantly, smoothing her hair back.  “Is this for real?”

“Yeah, I think so.”  Her smile was bright and hopeful.

“And you didn’t happen to run into Zatanna somewhere tonight, or, I don’t know – a fairy godmother, leprechauns…”

This time she cut him off, leaning up to kiss him gently.  “I think we both talk too much,” she teased him.

“Seriously, though.  This is really what you want?”  It was going to hurt like hell if she changed her mind; he was sure about that after all these months.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to get here, Ollie.  What happened that night just threw me, and it took a while to understand that most of what happened with us that night was more me than the wish.”

“It was worth it.  You’re worth it, Chloe.”  His eyes were serious as they searched hers.  “Don’t ever forget that.”

She slid her hand through his hair.  “I won’t forget.”  She quiet for a moment, fingers caressing the back of his neck gently.  “So, I bought this dress today, just for you.  Any chance I could convince you to take me home so I can show you the lingerie I got to go with it?”

“Oh, there’s a chance. A small chance – tiny, really.”  He sounded amused, but anticipation lit his eyes, and his hands slid down to cup her hips.

“On the other hand, I hear I have a really sturdy desk – we could stay here, play Watchtower and Green Arrow.”  She ran her hand down the front of his leather vest as she moved to straddle his lap.  “What do you think?”

“I think we’re definitely not going to make it out of here tonight because…” he kissed her softly.  His lips moved to her neck and he began sliding her skirt up.  “Watchtower and Arrow are officially online.”

 

**A/N:  Epilogue to follow!  And just to be clear, we’ll assume Davis was defeated at some point before Chloe’s birthday because I want this story to be happy, darn it.  And nothing that came before or after Doomsday was very joyful, so it has no place in this AU.**

**Also, a note on the flowers here: lavender represents refinement and grace, is considered precious, and sends a message of feminine beauty.  And as we all know, it has a very calming scent.  Orange blossoms are a very bold choice; they symbolize energy, enthusiasm, warmth, and a passion for life.  They also convey a message of confidence, something I felt was appropriate given Chloe’s wish, and the color orange just seems to suit her personality.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chloe stood on the balcony at the Ace of Clubs, looking out at the busy streets of Metropolis.  _What a difference a year makes_ , she thought.  A year ago today she had been standing in this very spot with a very different outlook on life, wondering why her life never turned out the way she thought it would.  This year she had everything she’d ever wanted.  And it all started with a wish.

It hadn’t been the easiest of roads.  Even after she and Oliver got together, there were still issues to be addressed.  She learned that Oliver still carried a lot of guilt about Lex’s death, and hiding it from everyone had been eating away at him.  Together they agreed to talk to Clark and the team, and it was a rough couple of months that followed.

The team had come around first just like Chloe knew they would.  Clark had been more difficult, something that didn’t surprise her. She loved Clark, and she understood why he held himself and other heroes to a higher standard, but she also thought he needed to have more trust in the idea that people could change. It was only one way in which Lex, Davis and Doomsday had changed them all.

Lois had been a deciding factor.  Having her voice added to those of Chloe and the team had apparently given Clark a lot to think about.  Later, he came to see Chloe, admitting that she was right.  He and Oliver talked – about what, Chloe didn’t know exactly – but when they emerged from Oliver’s study, it was apparent they had worked out many of their issues regarding Oliver’s actions.

And in the months since, their lives had been – dare she say it?  Uneventful.  There had been no big bads out to destroy the world, no apocalyptic scenarios.  The team had carried out a couple of small missions, and Oliver and Clark took turns with routine patrols, giving them both some time to enjoy their newfound relationships.

Thinking back on the past year and all that had happened made Chloe wonder how it might have been different if she’d never met Zatanna.  So many possible roads, and one night had led them all here.  It was still a little mind boggling. 

Suddenly she felt Oliver behind her.  One arm slid around her waist, and he placed a cupcake with one candle on the railing before her.

“Make a wish.”

Chloe turned her head and raised a brow at him.  “Really?”

“Or not,” he said with a grin, putting his other arm around her.  “Gotta admit, though - it worked out pretty well for us last time.”

“I was actually just thinking about that,” she answered as she turned to him.  “Ollie, do you think anything would have happened with us if not for my wish?  Not that I’m saying that we’re only here because of Zatanna’s magic, but…”

“Birthdays make you reflective, right?  I remember.”  Oliver pulled her closer and smoothed her hair back.  “You know, I did a lot of thinking too during those months after your birthday, Chloe.  I had to make myself take a step back and look at you – really look at you.  Not as Lois’s cousin, Clark’s friend, or Watchtower.  Just as Chloe.”

“And what did you see?” she asked softly.

“Someone who is pretty damn amazing,” he replied, kissing her gently.  “And I think I knew that before, but I was really seeing it after that night – all that you do for me, for the team, for Lois and Clark.  Even when your world was falling down, you still kept putting one foot in front of the other.  I started asking myself why it took the spell to get me to open my eyes, and I started wondering about the different paths we take and where they lead.”

“I never realized you admired me so much,” she said as she put her arms around his neck.  “So, tell me about these paths.”

“When we first met in Clark’s barn, I wasn’t totally oblivious to the attraction.  You were cute, standing there with Boy Scout dressed in your little suit and heels, grinning up at me – and you were wearing my favorite color.  I admit I checked you out, especially this,” he said, moving his hands over the curves of her ass with a smirk.  “And I could tell you thought I was cute.”

Chloe laughed.  “Yeah, I’m guessing my poker face still needed some work back then.”  She shook her head.  “But you had Lois at the time, and I had just reconnected with Jimmy.”

“Not to mention I always figured something was going on with you and Clark, at least for the first year I knew you.  But that’s just it, Chloe.  I imagined what might have happened if I had met you first instead of Lois, or if you’d taken my offer to leave Smallville and joined the team full time.  I mean, I made you that offer twice, and it wasn’t contingent on Clark coming with.  I’d have taken just you in a heartbeat.”

“I’ve thought about that too,” she admitted. 

He nodded.  “But there’s no guarantee that if we had met earlier or gotten together at a different time, in a different place, that it would have worked out better.  My point is that I think we’re on the road we were meant to be on.  Maybe we needed the bad to appreciate how good we have it now.  And as for the wish? Maybe it bumped up the schedule on the attraction front, but I always intended to ask you to work for me full time.  Watchtower was something I started putting together months before your birthday.  I was just waiting for your life to calm down a little.  And with all the time we spent together afterward, I think this was inevitable.”

“My birthday was about as normal as my life gets,” Chloe said.  “At least there were no alien monsters crashing, and no alien computers digging into my brain.”

“Always a plus.”

“So, you think this is the road we’re meant to be on, huh?  Good to know.”  And it was nice to know they were on the same page of their story.  Chloe had never had that before.

“And on that note, I have a little something for you.”  He backed away and placed a small box in Chloe’s hands.

“Oliver… this is a ring box,” Chloe said slowly, her heart pounding.  Then again, maybe they _weren’t_ on the same page because it looked like Oliver had skipped ahead a couple of chapters.

“Wow, your powers of observation are top notch,” he replied, smiling.  “Just open it.”

Chloe bit her lip and cautiously flipped open the lid.  “It’s a… key?”  Now she was just confused.

“More of a symbol, really.  Because the Clocktower doesn’t have keys anyway, just codes for the elevator and the penthouse.  And you already have those.  My apartment in Star City has a key, though.”

“Wait, are you asking me to move in with you?”  She wasn’t sure, but it seemed like it.

“And see, that is why we belong together.  Because you understand what I’m saying even when I don’t say it.  I was getting to that part though.  So, will you move in with me?”

“Yes,” she said without hesitation.  “But why did you put it in a ring box?  Were you trying to give me a heart attack?”  Although after the initial shock, the idea wasn’t as terrifying as she’d thought it would be.

“Oh well, see… that was my way of gauging how long I might need to wait before I spring the next step on you.  Because you have to know that you’re it for me, Chloe.  I want the whole package with you – moving in together, being engaged, getting married, maybe a little Chloe or Ollie running around someday.  But there’s also no rush because right now, I’m happy with the road we’re on.”

Chloe swallowed hard and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm the wild gallop of her heartbeat. She could feel tears pricking at her eyes.  “You want to have a baby together?  We’ve never talked about that before.”  Jimmy had brought it up once, and she’d had little interest.  With Oliver though – it surprised her how much she suddenly wanted that.

“Well not next year or anything, so don’t freak out.  And I’ve honestly never thought about having kids with any woman before you.  But the idea of a little girl with blonde pigtails and her mother’s green eyes? I want that, Chloe.”  His dark eyes were hopeful as they searched hers.

She threw her arms around him and kissed him before burying her face against his neck.  “I love you, Ollie.”  She’d never imagined that love could feel like this – like flying but also completely safe because she knew, deep down, that Oliver wouldn’t leave.  She’d never had that before, either. 

“I love you, too,” he whispered, holding her tightly.  She felt his lips on her hair, and then on her temple.  “Okay, birthday girl.  We have cake and presents and a lot of people inside waiting for you.”

Chloe pulled back and grinned happily, smoothing down the material of the green and gold cocktail dress she had bought the previous week while shopping with Lois.  “Lead the way.”

Inside they mingled with their friends.  Clark and Lois were there, as were all the members of the League.  Bart was wolfing down so much cake that Chloe feared he’d be sick soon – too much sugar always seemed to do that to him, though it never stopped him from doing it again. 

She was returning from the bathroom when she heard someone call her name.  Turning, she was surprised to see the man standing there.  “Jimmy?”

He smiled at her.  “I hope it’s all right that I just dropped by.  I was at the _Planet_ earlier and I heard a few people mention your birthday party tonight.”

Chloe smiled hesitantly.  “Yeah, it’s fine.  How have you been?  You look better than… you know, before.”  And he did.  His eyes were clear, and he looked healthy.  He looked more like the Jimmy he had been when he came back into her life.

“I feel better than before,” he replied.  He cleared his throat.  “I have something I want to say to you; it’s something I’ve wanted to say for a few months now.  I’m sorry.”

Chloe was surprised and uncertain how to respond, but before she could say anything, he continued.

“I said a lot of horrible things to you after the wedding, Chloe.  What happened wasn’t your fault. I knew that, but I was scared, I was angry, and the drugs didn’t help.  And honestly, it was easier to blame you than to try to make sense of what was going on.”

“I blamed myself, too.  There were things I should have told you…”

But Jimmy held up a hand, shaking his head.  “I’m not here for answers or explanations.  I always knew that there were things you kept to yourself, and I accepted that.  I knew there were things you were hiding, and I married you anyway.  And I did love you.  I hope you believe that.”

Chloe nodded.  “I know you did.”

He smiled.  “So I just wanted you to know all that, and I wanted to say sorry for the things I said and did afterward.  I’m sober now – more than six months.  My parents got me into a rehab program, and it’s given me a lot of time to think.  And I’m thinking of moving back here, taking a job at the _Planet_ again.”

“That’s great – I’m really happy for you, Jimmy.”  Chloe reached out and squeezed his hand.  “Why don’t you come over and say hi to everyone?  We have a lot of cake.”  If Bart hadn’t eaten it all, anyway.

He nodded, falling into step beside her.  “So, you and Oliver Queen, huh?”  At Chloe’s look of surprise, he laughed.  “Come on, we do have cable and tabloids in my hometown.”

Chloe assumed he had seen one of the few photos that had run of her and Oliver in the last six months.  They were private, and Oliver’s PR people did their best to keep their relationship out of the media, but the eventual reveal of Oliver Queen’s new girlfriend was inevitable given his fame and reputation.

“You looked happy, though – in the photos.  I hope he’s good to you.”

“He is.  And we are happy.”  She caught Oliver’s eye as they approached, and she saw Oliver’s surprise when he saw her companion.

“Jimmy. Good to see you.”  Oliver put his arm around Chloe, drawing her to him protectively as he shook Jimmy’s hand. 

“Nice to see you, too.  I’m just going to say hello to CK, maybe get some of that cake you mentioned.” 

When he walked away, Oliver glanced at Chloe.  “Wasn’t expecting that.”

“I know.  But he seems like he’s in a good place.  I think he just wanted me to know that, and he wanted to apologize for some things.”  Chloe laughed, shaking her head.  “Strange night, huh?”

“And getting stranger.”  Oliver was looking at something behind her. 

Chloe turned to see Zatanna Zatara making her way around the bar with a tall, dark haired man at her side.  “Isn’t that Bruce Wayne?”  She vaguely recognized him from photos run in various publications.

“Yes, it is,” Oliver confirmed.  He grabbed Chloe’s hand and pulled her along to meet the other couple.

Zatanna smiled at Chloe.  “If it isn’t the birthday girl. Looks like this birthday is better than your last one.”

Chloe smiled back.  “Can’t argue with that.”

Zatanna glanced at Oliver.  “I think you know Bruce, right?”

“Interesting company you’re keeping these days, Bruce,” Oliver said, shaking his hand as he nodded to Zatanna.

“Don’t I know it,” Bruce responded with a grin.  “But Zanny and I go way back.  And when she mentioned stopping by Metropolis for the birthday party of Oliver Queen’s new girlfriend, I invited myself along.”  He looked at Chloe expectantly.

“Chloe Sullivan – or as the papers keep calling me, ‘Oliver Queen’s new girlfriend,’” Chloe said with a raised brow.  “I’m actually thinking of having that monogrammed on my towels for Christmas.”

Bruce laughed.  “And she has a sense of humor.  I’m impressed, Oliver.”

“I think it has a nice ring to it myself,” Oliver joked, kissing the side of Chloe’s head affectionately.

Chloe rolled her eyes.  “Of course you do.” 

Lois walked up with Clark in tow.  “Chloe, you still haven’t made a wish, and I can only hide the last cake from Bart for so long before he finds it.  I swear that kid is part bloodhound, and he’s sneaky.”

Clark cleared his throat. “I’ve been trying to run interference, but she and Bart are going to get into it if he keeps sneaking off with all the food.” He looked annoyed with the young speedster, making Chloe wonder if he was being literal about running interference with Bart.

“That’s okay Lois.  I think I’m good on wishes for a while,” Chloe replied, her amusement evident as she looked at Zatanna.

Zatanna raised her brows.  “Really?  There’s nothing you would wish for right now?”

“Not a thing,” she said truthfully.

“Then you’re a very lucky girl,” Zatanna murmured.

Lois spoke up.  “I’d wish for…”

Chloe slapped her hand over Lois’s mouth.  “You _really_ don’t want to finish that thought, Lo.  Trust me.”

The dark haired magician laughed, her eyes glowing a strange blue for a moment.  “And on that note, I think Bruce and I will say good night.  Until next year, birthday girl.” 

She and Bruce left, and Chloe kissed her cousin’s cheek.  “Love you and thanks for the birthday party, but Ollie and I are going to head home, okay?”  She hugged Clark and then grabbed Oliver’s hand and pulled him to the elevator.

Oliver glanced at Chloe.  “You don’t think she hexed Lois, do you?”

Chloe waited until the elevator doors closed before putting her arms around his neck and kissing him.  “If she did, then that’s Clark’s problem.  You and I have other plans.”

“I like the way you think,” he said playfully, wrapping his arms around her.  “So, no more wishes?”

She shook her head.  “Nothing left to wish for.”  And there wasn’t.  It was the first time she could honestly say she wouldn’t change a thing about her life.  “You?”

“Not a thing.  Maybe some of those monogrammed towels you mentioned earlier…” he grunted when she slapped his chest, pulling her in for another kiss.  “Let’s go home.”

Chloe let him lead her to the car.  She settled back in the seat, eyes on Oliver as he drove home.  Soon, it would be their home.  A year definitely made all the difference in the world.

**A/N:  And finished!  Hope you enjoyed the epilogue.  And thanks to DJ Doena, for telling me about Bruce’s nickname for Zatanna.  I had been researching Zatanna and her connection to Batman for another story, and I knew they were childhood friends, but I didn’t know he called her Zanny.  It was mentioned in the episode titled ‘Zatanna’ of Batman: The Animated Series in which John Zatara taught Bruce escape tactics.  If you like Bruce and Zatanna, they are featured in coming chapters of another story of mine, ‘Shadows.’  Thanks for reading!**


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